Dear family and everyone else, Thursday, we will be having another Mission Conference with Elder Hamula of the first quorum of the 70's. He is going on a mission tour to see how the new mission is doing. We are looking forward to this. Tomorrow, the zone will be having a meeting to discuss our new mission vision and baptism goal for this year and other things like that. If I haven't told you about my new companion, I sincerely apologize. Elder Nielson is from Akron, Colorado. He is 20 and is turning 21 in October, and has red hair. ( I like to call it orange hair.) He attended Snow College for a year and left for his mission. He has been out for 15 months now. He has 4 brothers and 3 sisters. One boy is an identical twin still earning money to pay for his own mission. He also has a slight lisp from a speech impediment, but people think he just has an English accent. He even fooled the last English Elder, Elder Wain. I thought it was funny he managed to do that. This past week, there has been a little ray of hope here in the Crows Landing Ward. We were going through our list of former investigators when we came across an African American named Caroline. She is Baptist and has been facing many hardships because her mom has dementia and is slowly dying, and she is handling a bunch of teenagers. She prayed that morning that God would send messengers to her. We showed up that afternoon, and she felt her prayer was answered. I felt prompted to share the atonement with her mingled with Book of Mormon scripture. She liked our message a lot. She continues to pray for God's help. I gave her a Plan of Salvation pamphlet, and she said we could come back and talk about it some more. We have yet to see her this week to see if she will go anywhere with her investigation again. She was also fascinated with the scriptures in the back that she could study in the Bible and the Book of Mormon. That was about the only good spiritual experience this week but very powerful. I feel the Lord has spiritually prepared her for this moment. I am here, sent from Heavenly Father to help in anyway I can. God does love each one of us. He knows us and wants what is best for us. He will never lead us astray. It is as what Isaiah has said, "All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned everyone to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." Through Christ's atonement, we can all be forgiven and have our burdens made light. Always remember that the lord knows each one of us and wants to bless us. Follow his commandments, and he has a reason to bless us. Love you all. Sincerely, Elder White

Dear family and everyone else, I had many awesome spiritual experiences in my last area, Modesto 3rd Ward. I have been called to start a new chapter in my missionary work. When I first heard I was being transferred out before Elder Brown, we were both very surprised. I felt confident I could handle the area on my own. However, the lord has said otherwise. Elder Ashton who came out with me is still in his first area. Now he too is training. It's funny really. Elder Brown has been called to train a new missionary in the mission. A total of 40 missionaries [including visa waiter's] have been sent here. Hopefully Julie Luna got married and baptized this last weekend. For now, I still have 6 baptisms on my hands. Maybe 7 if I hear back during this next Mission Conference. I have been sent to the Crows Landing 1st ward, for some reason,with Elder Nielson. He is a red head, and very social. As Skibby Christensen said in her recent letter, "I felt like sunshine, lollipop's, and rainbows." Then she said, "However, Lollipop's become sticky, and rainbow's fade back into the storm." That is all I will mention about that. Elder James J. Hamula of the first quorum of the 70 will be coming to the new mission on the 27th. I have had a few Mission Conferences--more than most missionaries in their entire 2 years. This will be good I think. Right now, we are coming up with the new mission statement: "We are doing the will of the father, when we are one with the Savior." This can mean many things to us missionaries, which is why we are still refining it. We are also coming up with a baptism goal for this mission. It's interesting because it is the later end of this year and we are making a goal already. I just thought they would wait for that goal when it comes around December for next year's baptism goal. I guess we will see what we all will come up with. Lastly, Elder Fowers is my district leader. I might have mentioned that he was my 5th cousin. I have a little more information from him; however, I forgot to bring my fan chart to show him where we meet. I guess there is always this Thursday the 20th. He is from Farmington, Utah, and he is the youngest of 9. He also loves all kinds of sports. He hasn't really picked a favorite. It was awesome getting to know him a little bit. We will be exchanging with him and his trainee tomorrow, so we will see what he has planned for us then. Have a great week everybody. Elder White

Dear family and everyone else, Do I have some news to tell you all!!! Saturday night, I received the call to MOVE TO Crows Landing 1st ward. It is over by Turlock. It's a really small town, so this will be very interesting for me. I would have never guessed that I would be transferred out of the Modesto 3rd ward this soon. It seems like I just got here. Elder Brown will be training for the 2nd time in the 3rd ward. It was interesting for him to receive such news. Hey, at least I was able to baptize 6 people so far. Yes, I did say 6. Cathy Rutherford was able to be baptized. Sister Hamilton was the first to teach her and was able to attend the baptism. It was the most spiritual moment I have had on my mission yet. The Rutherford's have been working hard on their family. Now, they just need to soften the hearts of Marcus's sisters. On the 22nd, they will take some family names and get them baptized. Marcus already found 4 on his line. So Cathy will witness her parents be baptized for the dead. As for Julie, we were able to rescue her date again for this weekend. However, due to me moving to the Turlock stake, I will not hear from Elder Brown if she got married and dunked or not. Whenever the next Zone Conference happens I will ask him. Sadly, I forgot to bring my camera for the goat pen. We finished it. Now Brother Brown just needs to wait so he can go get them.

A funny thing happened this last Tuesday. Elder Hendricks was called home because it was his normal time to go home and the mission was extended 2 weeks for all of us. When he left, Elder Quigley ,his companion, was emergency transferred to Ceres 1st ward. Therefore, the assistants to the President called us to say that they were giving us 2nd ward to work in these next 2 weeks when transfers occur, so it has been super hectic around here. Also, it ruins the teaching moment here in 3rd ward. Progress has been slowed for us right now.

We are having plans to baptize Marcus' mom Cathy this Saturday. It will be difficult because she can't walk, but anything is achievable.Her caretaker hasn't moved out yet, and she fears losing something called section 8. It brings down the renting cost for people, which is really nice. So we are working with her and her family on this problem. President Palmer may need to interview her. Her situation is just confusing.

We have also picked up a new investigator from a convert of ours from 2 years ago. She struggles to believe in a God and also lost a few toes due to diabetes. I see her with a 2 liter of soda, and I'm in my mind saying, that is the first thing that should go. Next to eat more meat. But that is not my calling/stewardship. Oh well.

Today, we are going to play nerf gun wars. Yup, it's been reinstated into the mission. I'm excited for it. Last Monday we went to Ross, and I bought 2 new pairs of pants and a pair of blue gym shorts.I love them all already. I can't stop wearing them because of how comfy they feel. The Echo's are still working great for me. Tomorrow, we are going to help Brother Brown make a goat pen. It will be interesting for us. Love you all.